Patrick
by WonderPickle
Summary: Happy talks with Toby and Cabe after the events of 3x16. Major Quintis.
1. Toby

**Last night's episode hit me really hard.**

 **All day, I haven't been able to stop thinking about how much it hurt watching Happy break down so severely for the first time. Jadyn's beautiful acting was so powerful. Every time I think about it, my chest aches.**

 **I had to write this for anyone else who was affected by watching our dear Happy Quinn's heart break. I will never be over it.**

 **Happy Quinn deserves better. The Nicks must leave her alone. My poor baby has struggled so much this season, it's unfair. She must be protected.**

 **Anyway, enjoy!**

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Toby slowly creaked the rooftop door open, careful not to startle her upon entry.

Her head was low, almost slumped enough to be resting in her hands. Happy's figure was clearly exhausted from both the earlier anger and the sobs, as she appeared completely drained of energy. After the day's events, she didn't have much keeping her upright anymore.

It physically hurt him to witness her like this. Those feelings of abandonment from her years alone in the foster system that he knew were resurfacing made the pit in his stomach deepen, causing worry to solidify its roots inside him.

With the plate of Valentine's Day cake in one hand, Toby took several steps forwards, closer to where she was residing. "Sugarplum?" he called softly, tone exceedingly gentle.

She didn't look up.

The doc continued walking to her. Reaching the table, he nuzzled a lingering kiss into her hair.

"Hey, lovebug. I brought you something."

Happy raised her eyes to connect with his as he dropped the dessert onto the space near her elbow. But she didn't deliver a verbal response.

Upon glancing at his fiancé, Toby took notice of the uncommon features masking her usual resilience against such severe suffering. Faint lines from the trails of tears besmirched her beautiful cheeks, a lip slightly quivering just below them. Although her pupils were dancing with immense fatigue and pain, they were still hollowed out by the overwhelming emotions Toby knew were damn near breaking her on the inside.

His entire chest swelled agonizingly. The tremendous love he harbored for her was twisted in tormenting fashions upon absorbing her anguish. The doc felt himself thrown into the abyss of suffocating heartbreak right alongside her. But, he wasn't blinded by the same darkness that had engulfed his fiancé. Instead, he was there to hold her hand, to guide her through it all.

Happy's proceeding words were thickened with more emotion than usual. "My dad…" she muttered, slicing through their silence, "He didn't take it."

His eyebrows furrowed as his comforting hand gripped her arm. "He didn't take what?"

A shallow breath departed from her nostrils. "I gave him an escape." The mechanic paused, eyes flicking downwards again while Toby watched her heart constrict from the outside. "But he didn't take it."

The doc's insides immediately curled together tightly by listening to the pain in her voice. As her statement gradually seeped into his ears, his blood suddenly ran cold with solicitude.

In the many years he had known her, she had never sounded so _broken_. So unfairly damaged and hurt. "Happy…"

"I just got him back," she continued, her sentences emerging as whispered mumbles, "He just came _back_ into my life."

"He loves you, Hap. More than anything. He just wanted what's best for you."

She swallowed. "He can't walk me down the aisle."

Toby reached outwards, embracing her from the side with his right arm. "I know how hard this must be for you."

" _My dad can't walk me down the aisle_ ," Happy repeated breathily.

He pressed his lips softly to her temple. "You still have Cabe, sweet pea."

Her body tensed. Momentarily, she clenched all her limbs, a sign of the twinge of resentment still remaining in the back of her mind.

But the emotions he could see swirling inside her dark pupils quickly inundated whatever had appeared when she heard Cabe's name. It dissipated almost as fast as it had came, her heartache swiftly shattering the feeling.

Everything else took over.

Inhaling quietly, he watched her quasi~composure collapse.

Within seconds, Happy fell completely into his arms. Toby instinctively caught her, his doting grasp encasing her securely.

He felt the sobs bubbling in her chest brushing against his own as they exited her lungs. Using a tender hand, he rubbed the back of her head as soothingly as he could.

Toby gave her another kiss, another action of coaxing affection touching her skin.

Tremendously, he wished to tell her it would be okay. Tell her Patrick would return, he _would_ give her away on her wedding day. He wouldn't be absent from the next two years of her life, as he had already missed twenty five of the previous ones. He would watch her and Toby exchange _I do_ s.

But as both geniuses knew, that was mere wishful thinking.

So instead, he consoled Happy with as much as love and tenderness that a partner could exert with their significant other. Because what she needed was him to be there for her. To lead her away from it all. To protect and assist her at all costs.

And that's all he intended to do.


	2. Cabe

**To the guest who requested this, many thanks! I haven't ever written in Cabe's perspective before, and I wasn't sure exactly how the conversation between him and Hap would've gone, but I hope you enjoy it! (honestly i think i totally screwed this up...)**

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Cabe downed another large swig of his steaming coffee. The heat burned the back of his throat. But he couldn't care less.

There was only one thing he cared about right now.

And it was flooding him with sorrow and guilt.

Each time he closed his eyes, the picture of her breaking down was plastered across his mind.

Very much, he cherished his growing friendship with Happy. Just this morning they'd been playing a friendly game of _Stratego_ together. Which, of course, had been ruined by him delivering the news.

He'd done everything to prevent Patrick from being taken away. Recalled every favor, _tugged_ on every possible string, exhausted the extent of his power. But at the end of the day, it still wasn't enough. She was still crying, something he'd never seen her do, in his arms. She'd still gotten her heart torn in half. The poor kid was still broken.

None of it was fair. The entire team knew Happy Quinn endured more than her share of emotional pain when she was slammed into the foster system at just a few years old. And even after her denial to the doc's proposal alongside the false pregnancy, she'd done a pretty good job at keeping herself together lately. But this was the last straw before she lost it entirely.

Cabe felt miserable that he was the one to push her to the that breaking point.

Guilt ridden and miserable.

While he raised the mug to his lips again, a sudden knock retrieved him from his thoughts. The agent put the glassware down, standing up to answer it.

He was surprised to see who was on the other side of his door.

Slowly, Happy raised her gaze to meet up with his. She looked exhausted. Her shoulders were hunched, but fortunately eyes less red and swollen than before. The dark hair atop her head slipped out of its position, small strands falling to her collarbone. As her mouth forged into an unpleasing line, he watched her swallow the invisible ball of anger in her throat.

She was still upset with him.

And, in truth, he couldn't blame her.

Cabe paused for a moment, wondering why out of all the places she could've come to, she chose him. Maybe Toby had convinced her. Maybe she had too much whiskey. Maybe it was both. "Hey, kid," he greeted softly, stepping backwards to further pull the door open.

She immediately stepped inside. "Uh, hey."

"It's late," he remarked, "Shouldn't you be home with the doc?"

Her tone didn't sound like usual. Hollow and fatigued, like everything that was on the inside had been eating away at her. "Couldn't sleep."

"Huh. Me neither."

There was a pause.

Her gaze skirted downwards while his remained concernedly upon her. "Want a cup of coffee?"

Happy shook her head.

Cabe gave a slight shake of his chin in comprehensive response. She clearly was uncomfortable. Like she hadn't wanted to see him at all. He wished to alleviate this for her, make what she desired to accomplish less difficult. But he didn't know how. If she had arrived with something to say, she wasn't saying it. And he couldn't do too much about that.

Then the thought of an apology struck him. Without question, he followed it. "Hey...listen, kid." She glanced at him. Cabe could see right through whatever barriers she tried to hide behind. He'd spent enough time with geniuses to pick up on those sort of traits. Especially hers. He noticed her dark pupils drowning in the waves of pain reflecting back at him. The worried frown on his face clung to his other features. "I'm sorry about all of this."

She blinked almost emptily at him.

"I just want you to know," he said slowly, "That-"

"Yeah," Happy cut him off, "I know."

Cabe responded with a small nod. He took a step closer to her. But she immediately retreated.

He chewed inside of his lip as her line of sight jerked away from him. She wasn't ready yet. She might've come to his apartment. Come to talk. Maybe to fix things.

But that wasn't really Happy Quinn.

This Happy Quinn was unable to sleep, the thick mix of caffeine, alcohol, and sorrow running through her blood probably directing her logical thoughts.

What else could he do besides send her home? "Alright, well, I guess this is goodnight, Happy."

He turned on his heel to walk away, but she interrupted, clearing her throat. "Uh, not that I forgive you," the mechanic stated, "but, I wanted to say, uh, thanks for...being there."

His chest loosened with the release of a shard of guilt. But he couldn't fight the proceeding advice jumping out of his mouth. "Happy...I know you're in pain, _and_...upset with me. You have every right to be. But go home to the doc. Let yourself get through this without making it harder. You didn't have to come here to thank me."

The smallest bit of tension diminished from her body.

Cabe released a breath. "Someone once told me there's no refuge with people you love. It's okay to be mad at me. And to be affected by your dad. Just don't try to hide behind those shields of yours. You're not weak, kid. You're far from it. So allow yourself to feel the pain before you push it all away."


End file.
